A predatory former Olympic swimmer has been jailed for 21 years for raping two teenage girls and forcing them to have sex with ‘strange’ men.

Antony James, 35, who represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympic Games was convicted of multiple counts of child sex offences at Plymouth Crown Court today.

During the trial, James was described as a friendly and often charming man, with his own defence stating he had suffered a ‘Shakespearean fall from grace’.

The prosecution however labelled the Olympian as a ‘serial liar and manipulator’.

At his sentencing today, Judge Robert Linford said James was ‘highly talented and highly regarded’ but had ‘groomed and repeatedly sexually abused two people.’

He was jailed for a total of 21 years for offences against the two victims – who he ‘groomed and exploited’ for his own sexual gain.

He ‘lavished attention’ on the first victim when she was 14 and he was 21 and ‘made her feel loved,’ the judge said.

As part of James’ defence against the charges, he claimed to not have been aware of the true age of the schoolgirls. 

Over the course of James’ offending, he ‘repeatedly touched the area of her vagina on at least four occasions., the court heard.

The judge said, despite the defendant’s claims, the ‘evidence you knew full well her age was utterly overwhelming.’

He added: ‘You knew what you were doing was seriously wrong but your desire for this young person overtook your self control.’

The judge said he had ‘manufactured’ a relationship but ‘betrayed that by raping her in her own home.’

In the kitchen, he said, the defendant ‘approached her, pushed her head down and made her give oral sex.’

He added: ‘These offences span the period between 2012 and 2016 and by 2016 your interest in the second victim had taken over.’

Of the second victim, the judge added: ‘There were two occasions of rape. She found it painful yet you persisted. She did not resist – instead she submitted – that is very far from consent.’

‘You were a high achieving swimmer nationally and internationally. You were held in high regard by many.

‘You groomed these two people. You ruthlessly exploited that for your own sexual pleasure.’

Judge Linford sentenced James to eight years in relation to offences committed against the first victim and 13 years for the second. These will run consecutively.

As part of today’s hearing, one of James’ victims told Plymouth Crown Court how her ordeal had impacted her.

Speaking directly to James, the second victim said that she hoped one day her cells would heal so she had a ‘body that was never touched and is clean of you’. 

She went on to describe how she felt her ‘formative teenage years had been stripped away’ and told the court how she still suffers from anxiety and panic attacks to this day. 

‘The person I was supposed to be was taken from me – I always wondered what type of girl I would be if you didn’t do this to me. I feel like I’m playing catch up.’

The victim added that James was a ‘twisted and strange’ person who ‘tampered and manipulated’ her. 

She added: ‘After what you did I was left feeling vulnerable, weak and trampled.

‘I accept you are not a good man, you do not love me and think I am special – you groomed me to be exactly what you wanted and used me.

‘I hope you are struggling to live with what you have done – but somehow I doubt you will.’

The incidents are alleged to have taken place over a decade-long period between 2012 and 2022, with James having initially faced a total of 20 charges relating to three female victims. 

At an earlier hearing he had pleaded guilty to six counts of making indecent photographs of a child – including two in the most serious category.

James denied eight counts of rape, four counts of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and inviting a third party to have sex with a child.

James, of Plymouth, Devon, was also charged with controlling and coercive behaviour.

However, following a lengthy trial, James was found guilty of three counts of sexual activity with a child and one count of rape when she was over 16 in relation to the first victim.

He was also convicted of two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity in relation to his second victim.

The jury was unable to reach verdicts on five further counts of rape and a further charge of sexual activity with a child.

He was cleared of other counts of controlling or coercive behaviour and two counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act.